John Sutherland successfully defended his title in the recently completed 2008 Otago Chess Club championship. The event was played as two consecutive 5-round tournaments with most participants facing each other twice. Sutherland was top seed in the A-grade ahead of the writer, with a significant rating gap to the next highest ranked player. The top two duly won all their games against the rest of the field and exchanged close-fought wins against each other to finish equal first on 9/10 and share the title of 2008 Otago Club Champion. Third was Hamish Gold on 4 points followed by Brent Southgate (3), Terry Duffield (2½), Chris Lydiate (2) and John Armstrong (1½). John Armstrong won the Intermediate Championship with a combined total of 7/10 ahead of Patrick Dawson and David Reid on 5 points.
Today's game is Sutherland's only loss from the championship, playing White against the writer.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nbd2 c5 5. e3 ---
In this variation of the Bogo-Indian Defence 5 a3 to force the exchange of the Black bishop is more common. Black now exchanges pawns to preserve the bishop. 5. --- cxd4 6. exd4 b6 7. a3 Be7 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qe2 d5 11. Rd1 Nbd7 12. Ne5 dxc4!?
Although White has passed on two opportunities to support the c4 pawn with b3, this move makes sure the d-pawn becomes isolated and secures the d5 square for a Black knight. In return White's pieces get extra space on the kingside. 13. Ndxc4 Nd5 14. Nxd7 Qxd7 15. Ne5 Qd6 16. Qe4 g6!?
More aggressive than 16 ... f5 which is safer but creates a pawn weakness on e6 to offset the White d-pawn in the event of an endgame. White now develops a dangerous-looking attack. 17. Bh6 Rfd8 18. Qf3 Bf6!
Precise defence was called for – 18...f6? loses to 19 Bxg6!! hxg6 20 Qg4! and all roads lead to mate (e.g. 20 ... g5 21 Qh5 etc) except 20 ... Nf4 21 Nxg6 Ne2+ 22 Qxe2 with a winning position. 19. Ng4! Bg7
Instead 19 ... Bxd4?! 20 Bxg6 hxg6 21 Rxd4 leaves too many holes in the Black kingside. 20. Qh3? ---
White finally errs trying for too much in a complicated position – 20 Bxg7 Kxg7 21 Be4 held the balance with pawn weaknesses on each side. 20. --- Nf4 21. Qg3 Nxd3
Seeking a safe small advantage by forcing an endgame rather than grab a pawn with the daring 21 ... Bxh6!? 22 Nxh6+ Kg7 23 Ng4 Nxg2 (but not 23 ... Bxg2? when White has 24 Qh4! winning material after either 24 ... Qxd4 25 Bf1! Qxb2 26 Bxg2 or 24 ... Kg8 25 Qf6! Rd7 26 Ne5!) 22. Qxd6 Rxd6 23. Bxg7 Kxg7 24. Rxd3 Rad8 25. Rad1 Ba6 26. R3d2 Bc4
Winning the d-pawn by force. 27. f3 Bb3 28. Re1?! ---
Better defensive chances were held by 28 Rc1 trying to activate the rook after 28 ... Rxd4 29 Rxd4 Rxd4 30 Rc7. White was now in time-trouble. 24. --- Rxd4 29. Rxd4 Rxd4 30. Re2 f6 31. Kf2 e5 32. Ke3 h5 33. Nf2 f5! 34. g3 g5 35. Re1? ---
White had been trying to avoid the exchange of rooks but 35 Rd2 Rxd2 36 Kxd2 Kf6 was forced with a winning minor piece endgame for Black. 35. --- f4+
After 36 gxf4 gxf4+ 37 Ke2 Bc4+ wins a piece, so White resigns.
Sutherland defends Otago championship
Problem: Black to play and mate in 3.
John Sutherland successfully defended his title in the recently completed 2008 Otago Chess Club championship. The event was played as two consecutive 5-round tournaments with most participants facing each other twice. Sutherland was top seed in the A-grade ahead of the writer, with a significant rating gap to the next highest ranked player. The top two duly won all their games against the rest of the field and exchanged close-fought wins against each other to finish equal first on 9/10 and share the title of 2008 Otago Club Champion. Third was Hamish Gold on 4 points followed by Brent Southgate (3), Terry Duffield (2½), Chris Lydiate (2) and John Armstrong (1½).
John Armstrong won the Intermediate Championship with a combined total of 7/10 ahead of Patrick Dawson and David Reid on 5 points.
Today's game is Sutherland's only loss from the championship, playing White against the writer.
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nf3 Bb4+
4. Nbd2 c5
5. e3 ---
In this variation of the Bogo-Indian Defence 5 a3 to force the exchange of the Black bishop is more common. Black now exchanges pawns to preserve the bishop.
5. --- cxd4
6. exd4 b6
7. a3 Be7
8. Bd3 Bb7
9. O-O O-O
10. Qe2 d5
11. Rd1 Nbd7
12. Ne5 dxc4!?
Although White has passed on two opportunities to support the c4 pawn with b3, this move makes sure the d-pawn becomes isolated and secures the d5 square for a Black knight. In return White's pieces get extra space on the kingside.
13. Ndxc4 Nd5
14. Nxd7 Qxd7
15. Ne5 Qd6
16. Qe4 g6!?
More aggressive than 16 ... f5 which is safer but creates a pawn weakness on e6 to offset the White d-pawn in the event of an endgame. White now develops a dangerous-looking attack.
17. Bh6 Rfd8
18. Qf3 Bf6!
Precise defence was called for – 18...f6? loses to 19 Bxg6!! hxg6 20 Qg4! and all roads lead to mate (e.g. 20 ... g5 21 Qh5 etc) except 20 ... Nf4 21 Nxg6 Ne2+ 22 Qxe2 with a winning position.
19. Ng4! Bg7
Instead 19 ... Bxd4?! 20 Bxg6 hxg6 21 Rxd4 leaves too many holes in the Black kingside.
20. Qh3? ---
White finally errs trying for too much in a complicated position – 20 Bxg7 Kxg7 21 Be4 held the balance with pawn weaknesses on each side.
20. --- Nf4
21. Qg3 Nxd3
Seeking a safe small advantage by forcing an endgame rather than grab a pawn with the daring 21 ... Bxh6!? 22 Nxh6+ Kg7 23 Ng4 Nxg2 (but not 23 ... Bxg2? when White has 24 Qh4! winning material after either 24 ... Qxd4 25 Bf1! Qxb2 26 Bxg2 or 24 ... Kg8 25 Qf6! Rd7 26 Ne5!)
22. Qxd6 Rxd6
23. Bxg7 Kxg7
24. Rxd3 Rad8
25. Rad1 Ba6
26. R3d2 Bc4
Winning the d-pawn by force.
27. f3 Bb3
28. Re1?! ---
Better defensive chances were held by 28 Rc1 trying to activate the rook after 28 ... Rxd4 29 Rxd4 Rxd4 30 Rc7. White was now in time-trouble.
24. --- Rxd4
29. Rxd4 Rxd4
30. Re2 f6
31. Kf2 e5
32. Ke3 h5
33. Nf2 f5!
34. g3 g5
35. Re1? ---
White had been trying to avoid the exchange of rooks but 35 Rd2 Rxd2 36 Kxd2 Kf6 was forced with a winning minor piece endgame for Black.
35. --- f4+
After 36 gxf4 gxf4+ 37 Ke2 Bc4+ wins a piece, so White resigns.
0-1
Solution: 1 ... Bd4+! 2 Rxd4 Qe3+ 3 Kg2 h3#.